Young guy In an Olds
August 1st, 2011, 07:06 PM
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Flint, Michigan
Posts: 156
Young guy In an Olds
Hi all! (Long read)
My name is Logan and I'm the new (young) guy on the block. I own a 1968 442 that I'm in the process of restoring. It's taking me a while cause I'm only 21, but it's been well worth it so far.
So here's my story:
10 years ago my uncle acquired this car from a man in Flint. At that time the car barely ran, the guys paint job that he did was horrible and he hob-jobbed the hole thing (The wiring is soooo messed up). My uncle pulled the motor and trans and had huge ambitions of redoing this car, but it ended up sitting around doing nothing for six years. He did do a couple good things though, he re-did the interior and rebuilt the transmission.
Fast forward to three years ago:
My uncle had to move and ended up giving the car to my grandparents. Well, after about a year of it just doing more sitting in my grandparents garage, and me helping my grandfather getting it running I ended up buying the car off of them. Like I said, my grandpa and I got the car going a year after it sat even longer (so that's about 8 years of this car sitting and doing nothing)
. The second day of me owning this car it threw a rod.
Talk about heart breaking. luckily i didn't crack the block.
So after a year of this car just sitting with a blown motor I saved up enough to rebuild it. It's now running great (minus a vacuum leak that JUST happened)
. I've also had to do other minor repairs here and there like fixing the speedo gear o-ring and what not.
It's been a long couple years for me (and a lot of money for a 21 year old haha), and a long decade for this car but it's finally driving on the road.
Future Plans:
This winter my buddy and I are going to be doing a complete frame off restoration of this car
. I'm leaning on painting it nocturne blue. (the original color is Jade Gold
and the color it is now is white (lots of orange peel going on!!!))
I'm going also be building a 455 motor to replace the 400 that is in it now. This is due to the fact that the 400 that is in it now is the numbers matching motor for that car and I don't want to risk ruining it again.
We will also be rebuilding a 400 tranny to go behind it (or maybe something different, any suggestions?) the TH350 I have was built up with a stall kit and all that but I don't think it will handle the 455. Also that 350 is paired with that 400 motor so I don't want to ruin it. They run great together.
It already has a floor shifter so I may do a manual tranny conversion when I put in the 455 since the conversion will be pretty simple.
I will make sure to make a thread in the major builds section with lots of pics (i plan on taking lots) for everyone to see.
Any suggestions and criticism is very much appreciated and I can't wait to get to know everyone!
Here is the info on my car if anyone is interested:
1968 Oldsmobile 442
400 BB #s matching with "C" Cylinder Heads
Edelbrock Performer Intake Manifold
Holley Carb
350TH Transmission with stall kit
Type O Posi Rear end
Built in Lansing (about an hour and a half from my house)
Originally Jade Gold, White right now, Will be painting it Nocturne Blue with White Stripe.
Wish me luck! I'm 21 and broke but it's my dream!
My name is Logan and I'm the new (young) guy on the block. I own a 1968 442 that I'm in the process of restoring. It's taking me a while cause I'm only 21, but it's been well worth it so far.
So here's my story:
10 years ago my uncle acquired this car from a man in Flint. At that time the car barely ran, the guys paint job that he did was horrible and he hob-jobbed the hole thing (The wiring is soooo messed up). My uncle pulled the motor and trans and had huge ambitions of redoing this car, but it ended up sitting around doing nothing for six years. He did do a couple good things though, he re-did the interior and rebuilt the transmission.
Fast forward to three years ago:
My uncle had to move and ended up giving the car to my grandparents. Well, after about a year of it just doing more sitting in my grandparents garage, and me helping my grandfather getting it running I ended up buying the car off of them. Like I said, my grandpa and I got the car going a year after it sat even longer (so that's about 8 years of this car sitting and doing nothing)
. The second day of me owning this car it threw a rod. Talk about heart breaking. luckily i didn't crack the block.So after a year of this car just sitting with a blown motor I saved up enough to rebuild it. It's now running great (minus a vacuum leak that JUST happened)
. I've also had to do other minor repairs here and there like fixing the speedo gear o-ring and what not.It's been a long couple years for me (and a lot of money for a 21 year old haha), and a long decade for this car but it's finally driving on the road.
Future Plans:
This winter my buddy and I are going to be doing a complete frame off restoration of this car
. I'm leaning on painting it nocturne blue. (the original color is Jade Gold and the color it is now is white (lots of orange peel going on!!!))I'm going also be building a 455 motor to replace the 400 that is in it now. This is due to the fact that the 400 that is in it now is the numbers matching motor for that car and I don't want to risk ruining it again.
We will also be rebuilding a 400 tranny to go behind it (or maybe something different, any suggestions?) the TH350 I have was built up with a stall kit and all that but I don't think it will handle the 455. Also that 350 is paired with that 400 motor so I don't want to ruin it. They run great together.
It already has a floor shifter so I may do a manual tranny conversion when I put in the 455 since the conversion will be pretty simple.
I will make sure to make a thread in the major builds section with lots of pics (i plan on taking lots) for everyone to see.
Any suggestions and criticism is very much appreciated and I can't wait to get to know everyone!
Here is the info on my car if anyone is interested:
1968 Oldsmobile 442
400 BB #s matching with "C" Cylinder Heads
Edelbrock Performer Intake Manifold
Holley Carb
350TH Transmission with stall kit
Type O Posi Rear end
Built in Lansing (about an hour and a half from my house)
Originally Jade Gold, White right now, Will be painting it Nocturne Blue with White Stripe.
Wish me luck! I'm 21 and broke but it's my dream!
August 2nd, 2011, 09:00 AM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Denver
Posts: 699
Great! another 68! Luv em!!! Welcome and get ready for some real fun on the frame off. been there (wait...still there!)
tom
68 442 convt (coming back together one piece at a time, How long did it take at the factory?)
70 F85
95 Aurora
pogo stick
tom
68 442 convt (coming back together one piece at a time, How long did it take at the factory?)
70 F85
95 Aurora
pogo stick
August 2nd, 2011, 09:39 AM
#9
delete
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 2,807
If you plan on a 4 speed either now or later make sure your crank is drilled for the pilot bearing before you assemble the engine. A lot of them are not.
Have you checked the #'s to confirm its a 442?
Its a great story & i admire your ambition at such a young age. @ 18 I blew the engine in my '71 442 and sold it for parts.
August 2nd, 2011, 09:55 AM
#10
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Flint, Michigan
Posts: 156
Thanks everyone! I know I've got a huge project a head of me but I have a lot of drive behind it. ( Losing sleep over it because I'm too excited haha)
Here are some pics of my car. It needs work, and I don't have any pics of the newly built motor up yet but I will get some soon hopefully. But you guys can see why I'm restoring it But it's not too bad of a base to start off of.
Here are some pics of my car. It needs work, and I don't have any pics of the newly built motor up yet but I will get some soon hopefully. But you guys can see why I'm restoring it
But it's not too bad of a base to start off of.
August 2nd, 2011, 10:00 AM
#11
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Flint, Michigan
Posts: 156
Do you know where the turbo 350 came from? if it came from the factory with an automatic i believe it should be a 400. Guys, correct me if I am wrong.
If you plan on a 4 speed either now or later make sure your crank is drilled for the pilot bearing before you assemble the engine. A lot of them are not.
Have you checked the #'s to confirm its a 442?
Its a great story & i admire your ambition at such a young age. @ 18 I blew the engine in my '71 442 and sold it for parts.
If you plan on a 4 speed either now or later make sure your crank is drilled for the pilot bearing before you assemble the engine. A lot of them are not.
Have you checked the #'s to confirm its a 442?
Its a great story & i admire your ambition at such a young age. @ 18 I blew the engine in my '71 442 and sold it for parts.
When I said that the TH350 is a good pair for my 400BB I didn't mean that the Transmission was original, just the motor. I have no clue were the original TH400 went. That was all long before I owned this car. My car is set up for the TH400 though, it has the spot to hook up the electric kick-back on my pedal. (had to jerry rig a set up for the kick back cable on the TH350)
I will also remember what you said about the crank when i build the 455, thanks for the tip!
August 3rd, 2011, 07:31 AM
#15
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Location: Flint, Michigan
Posts: 156
August 3rd, 2011, 10:04 AM
#16
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Southeast Michigan
Posts: 1,224
Yes it is Jade Gold. Thanks for the kind words. She desperately needs a repaint.
I must say though, whichever way you decide, Nocturne Blue or Jade Gold, you won't be sorry. They are both beautiful colors and you don't see too many of them around.
August 3rd, 2011, 10:44 AM
#17
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Flint, Michigan
Posts: 156
Ya, my favorite color is blue, and the Nocturne Blue is such a nice shade of dark blue. I think it's what i will ultimately go with
August 4th, 2011, 07:24 AM
#21
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 73
Good story, my mom needed a quick car to drive when hers broke down, i found a recently restored 85 cutlass salon and its still the nicest one ive ever seen, on the ride back home when we got the car my parents told me it would be my first car, i was fourteen, im still 15, man those two years are taking a long time!
August 4th, 2011, 07:43 AM
#22
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Flint, Michigan
Posts: 156
Thanks Everyone! Will definitely keep the pics flowing when I start the rebuild!
That's awesome man! Good luck with that car! What kinda motor is in it?
Good story, my mom needed a quick car to drive when hers broke down, i found a recently restored 85 cutlass salon and its still the nicest one ive ever seen, on the ride back home when we got the car my parents told me it would be my first car, i was fourteen, im still 15, man those two years are taking a long time!
August 4th, 2011, 09:40 AM
#29
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Williamsburg Va
Posts: 39
Great to see another young guy into Oldsmobiles. I just turned 22 and currently working on a 72 cutlass supreme convertible. Plus, I'm broke too! But any money that ever comes my way immediately goes into that car. I love it. Best of luck with your build!
August 4th, 2011, 10:43 AM
#30
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Flint, Michigan
Posts: 156
Thanks!! What's gonna be cool is that I will be rebuilding this car while about ten feet next to me in the same garage my buddy is rebuilding his 72 Chevelle. So we will be helping each other out in our builds and will both have our dreams finished around the same time. I'm very excited!
August 6th, 2011, 06:42 AM
#32
Smart guys know the price of beer never changes but women can get cheaper when siting in a nice muscle car. Its even easier if the passanger side exhaust is close to the floor and passanger seat base.
August 7th, 2011, 10:13 AM
#33
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Location: Flint, Michigan
Posts: 156
I will make sure that I keep that in mind when I re-do the exhaust this winter 
August 8th, 2011, 11:30 AM
#36
Oldsdruid
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southside Vajenya
Posts: 10,284
Thanks!! What's gonna be cool is that I will be rebuilding this car while about ten feet next to me in the same garage my buddy is rebuilding his 72 Chevelle. So we will be helping each other out in our builds and will both have our dreams finished around the same time. I'm very excited!
Always good to see a young buck into old iron. The 68 is my favorite of the 68-72 cars.
Good find on the Fisher Body book. The 1968 Olds Chassis Service Manual may not be easy to find in good shape. For whatever reason they seem to literally fall apart at the binding, but that and an assembly manual will both be money well spent.
August 8th, 2011, 12:53 PM
#37
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Flint, Michigan
Posts: 156
Just remember that Chevy distributors turn backwards from an Olds and you should be able to pull it off.
Always good to see a young buck into old iron. The 68 is my favorite of the 68-72 cars.
Good find on the Fisher Body book. The 1968 Olds Chassis Service Manual may not be easy to find in good shape. For whatever reason they seem to literally fall apart at the binding, but that and an assembly manual will both be money well spent.
Always good to see a young buck into old iron. The 68 is my favorite of the 68-72 cars.
Good find on the Fisher Body book. The 1968 Olds Chassis Service Manual may not be easy to find in good shape. For whatever reason they seem to literally fall apart at the binding, but that and an assembly manual will both be money well spent.
That Fisher manual is like 3" thick lol It's gonna help a lot on this rebuild
August 8th, 2011, 01:06 PM
#38
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Location: Southeast Michigan
Posts: 1,224
Go here: http://wildaboutcarsonline.com
Last edited by starfire; August 8th, 2011 at 01:08 PM.
December 13th, 2011, 12:44 PM
#39
1970 Delta 88 Royale Conv
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Macon, GA
Posts: 64
Better Late than never!
Welcome to the forum. (Sorry this post is late, had a move and new job in the mix, now getting back on here) It is great to have another young person on here. These cars are great (most of these cars were somehow or another built by one of my family members, I had a ton of them working in the industry for many many years and they hold a special place in my heart) and I love seeing young guys like me (25 now, 22 when I got my Olds) getting into these cars.
